Month: September 2012

(2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

The story of God’s people has always involved persecution at the hands of their enemies. Yet even in the face of great tribulation, and severe persecution God has sustained His people, and stood by them. Persecution is a common theme of both the Old and New Testament saints. The persecution of the Saints under the former covenant could best be summed up in the following passage.

(Hebrews 11:32-38 NKJV) And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: {33} who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, {34} quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {35} Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. {36} Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. {37} They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; {38} of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Jesus spoke often concerning the persecution that was to come upon His disciples after His resurrection.

(John 15:18-21 NKJV) “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. {19} “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. {20} “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. {21} “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Persecution of God’s People Under Old Covenant

The children of Israel in Egypt. (Exodus 1:8-11 NLT) Then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. {9} He told his people, “These Israelites are becoming a threat to us because there are so many of them. {10} We must find a way to put an end to this. If we don’t and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.” {11} So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves and put brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down under heavy burdens…

Jezebel slaughters the prophets of God in Israel because they oppose Baal worship. (1 Kings 18:4 NKJV) For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)

Manasseh, the evil king of Judah, destroyed the innocent because of Baal. (2 Kings 21:16 NKJV) Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin by which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

The Prophets: Both the northern kingdom of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah persecuted God’s Prophets, when God had sent them to call for repentance. (Matthew 23:37 NKJV) “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet.

He was whipped. (Jeremiah 20:1-2)

He was mobbed and nearly killed (Jeremiah 26:8-9)

He was imprisoned (Jeremiah 32:2)

He was flogged (Jeremiah 37:15)

He was again imprisoned (Jeremiah 37:15)

He was placed in a muddied cistern (pit) with mud up to his waist. (Jeremiah 38:6)

He was placed in the courtyard prison until the capture of Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 38:28)

Three Hebrew Teenagers stand up to the king of Babylon. Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. (Daniel 3:16-18 NKJV) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. {17} “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. {18} “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

New Testament Persecution

Jesus spoke often of the persecution that would come to His Disciples. (Matthew 5:10-16 NKJV) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. {11} “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. {12} “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. {13} “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. {14} “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. {16} “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

The world will hate you because it hates Me.(John 15:18-20 NKJV) “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. {19} “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. {20} “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

Stephen, the first martyred disciple of Jesus: (Acts 7:55-60 NKJV) But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, {56} and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” {57} Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; {58} and they cast him out of the city and stonedhim. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. {59} And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” {60} Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Paul the apostle: (2 Corinthians 11:24-33 KJV) Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. {25} Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; {26} In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; {27} In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. {28} Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. {29} Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? {30} If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. {31} The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. {32} In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: {33} And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Paul wrote the letters to the Phillipians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Phileman, during his first Roman imprisonment. Paul was eventually imprisoned a second time in Rome, and beheaded by the Roman emperor Nero.

Seven of the 12 original apostles of the Christ were martyred, and one was exiled.

Peter Crucified upside down.

James the son of Zebedee: He was put to death by Herod Agrippa I shortly before the day of the Passover

John: Exiled to the Isle of Patmos

Andrew: He is reported to have been crucified at Patrae in Achaia.

Matthew: There is a legend that he died a martyr in Ethiopia

Thomas: His martyrdom whether in Persia or India, is said to have been by a lance.

James Alpheus: According to tradition, James son of Alpheus was thrown down from the temple by the scribes and Pharisees; he was then stoned, and his brains dashed out with a fuller’s club.

Jude (Thaddeus) according to tradition Jude taught in Armenia, Syria and Persia where he was martyred. Tradition tells us he was buried in Kara Kalisa in what is now Iran.

Modern Day Persecution – From ICC (International Christian Concern) You’ve heard about the apostles of the early church, like Paul, Peter, and James who were martyred for their faith. And you know about the Roman coliseums where many Christians were eaten alive. But did you know that Christians are being persecuted today.

There have been more attacks on Christians in the last century than in all previous centuries combined.

Today, 200 million of Christians are regularly beaten, imprisoned, raped, starved, and murdered for their faith.

This is taking place in over 40 countries around the world in areas like the Middle East, North

Africa, Asia, and some parts of Latin America.

They sacrifice all for the sake of following Jesus.

They need your prayers.

They need your help.

They need you to stand with them as One Body in Christ.

No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. John 15:20

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“The slope goes from disinformation to defamation. Once they can dismiss you as one of ‘those’ kinds of people–ether ignorant or a bigot-they begin to marginalize you… Then it goes from marginalization to discrimination, and then from discrimination to outright persecution.” Dr. Gary Cass, president of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission

In 2007, Daniel Lapin, an orthodox Jewish rabbi, published an article in which he warned American Christians “about the earliest stages of what could become a cataract of disasters if not resisted now.”

Dr. Gary Cass, president of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, describes benchmarks that already been passed that will lead to the outright persecution of Christians. He sights the passage of the ‘Hate Crimes Laws,’ as a major step towards the persecution of Christians in America.

Dr. Cass describes a progressive slope that if not countered by the Church in the United States, will soon lead to disaster for Christians.

“The slope goes from disinformation to defamation. Once they can dismiss you as one of ‘those’ kinds of people–ether ignorant or a bigot-they begin to marginalize you… Then it goes from marginalization to discrimination, and then from discrimination to outright persecution.” Dr. Gary Cass, president of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission

I believe that the Church in the United Statesmust immediately begin to turn from a passive approach of our faith, to a much more militant type of understanding of our faith. For too long we have assumed that we are simply to stand by while the enemy systematically strips us of our liberties. The consequences of the fall of Christianity in the United States will mean disaster for both the U.S.and the world.

Disinformation: If you tell a lie long enough, people will begin to think it is true.

Who’s Shaping Our Culture

Sociologists conducted a survey of the top 104 Hollywoodwriters and producers.

93% seldom or never attend a church;

97% believe in a woman’s right to abort;

5% strongly agree that homosexuality is wrong;

16% agree that adultery is wrong;

99% believe that television should be “more critical” of Judeo-Christian values.

Does Media Have An Effect?

Young people take in over 18,000 hours of TV by the time they graduate from high school.

That’s over 5000 more hours than they spend in 12 years of classes.

American children spend more time watching television than they spend on any other activity excep sleeping.

The average teen in the United States spends 35 hours per week on average with media of one kind or another. (Cell phones, video gaming, music, TV, the Web etc…)

Since the 1980s we have seen an ever increasingly and unabashed hostility toward Christianity from every sphere of secular media outlets, from movies to music. Christianity is regularly ridiculed, mocked, or marginalized whenever it is portrayed by Hollywood, and the media. The following is a short list of just a few of recent anti-Christian films.

V for Vendetta

There Will be Blood

The Golden Compass

The Da Vinci Code

Angels and Demons

Marginalization: Movies, music, and slanted journalism are all used to soften up the public to outright discrimination against Christianity. These are all used to marginalize those who hold a biblical world view. The attempt is to portray Christians as stupid, archaic, bigoted, and anti-progress so that no one takes Christian seriously.

Through the clever use of propaganda social issues become closed for discussion, or debate. The main stream media simply shifts the center to the far left, and changes the rules of engagement. Consider the following as just a few of the examples of propaganda used by the media.

Evolution: While the vast majority of Americans do not believe the theory of evolution, it is the only officially sanctioned, and endorsed theory of origin legally allowed to be taught in the public schools of the U.S. Any who challenge the validity of this theory from a scientific perspective are immediately attacked, ridiculed as ignorant, and dismissed as religious zealots. (Expelled Movie by Ben Stein)

Abortion: Abortion is couched in terms intended to sway the public. Those who favor abortion are called Pro-choice, while those who oppose abortion are called Anti-abortion. The national media has for the most part closed the book on any open debate or dialogue about abortion, even though the vast majority of Americans oppose abortion.

Homosexuality: Many of the Hollywoodwriters are gay, so is it surprising that movies, sitcoms, and media is saturated with openly pro-gay themes? The argument of one being born gay is no longer part of the discussion. The media has managed to shift the debate to gay rights rather than the legitimacy of the gay origin.

Islam: One would think that after 9/11 the media would take a hard stand against Islam, but infact just the opposite has occurred. Islam is treated with preferential treatment by the media, Hollywood, and news outlets. While Christians are being expelled, and harassed in public schools and universities for nearly any express of their faith, the followers of Islam are often given preferential treatment.

Discrimination: Once Christianity is marginalized, then discrimination is the next step. It seems that every form of public expression is deemed acceptable in the public square except for Christianity.

Through the use of disinformation, the first Amendment has been turned on its head by groups like the ACLU, and Freedom From Religion Foundation. These organizations use the courts as a means to scrub the public from any form of Christian expression.

Students are expelled from Colleges for noncompliance with pro-homosexual agendas.

Communities find themselves embroiled in costly legal battles to display crosses, and Christian symbols that have stood for decades.

National monuments, and buildings are under constant threat from these groups in their attempt to remove any mention of our Christian heritage.

The Overthrow of the Biblical Worldview

Gradualism: In his book ‘The American Covenant,’ historian and author, Marshall Foster, recounts a historic meeting that took place in a loft above Pecks Restaurant, in Manhattan, NY, on September 12, 1905.

Upton Sinclair, Jack London, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, J.G. Phelps Stokes, and Charles Darrow (all prominent men) were gathered for the specific purpose of instituting the overthrow of the Christian world-view in the United States of America.

These men were all disciples and proponents of the teachings of Karl Marx, the founder of Communism. Through a method called gradualism, which they learned from the Roman general, Quintus Fabius Maximums, they would slowly infiltrate Marxist ideas onto college campuses, “by promoting an intelligent interest in socialism among college men and women.”

By the mid-1930’s their organization, called the League for Industrial Democracy had managed to establish 125 chapters, on college and university campuses, and John Dewey, the founder of progressive education, was the vice president.

Because of the efforts of this small group of men, and their strategic infiltration of our colleges and universities, we have seen the Christian world-view which founded and shaped our nation replaced by a secular philosophy which can be traced directly to the teachings of Marx.

We can clearly see that the cultural shift away from the absolutes of Christianity began to occur in the 1930s; however it wasn’t until the 1960’s that the full scope of this revolution began to take shape.

By the 1960’s, college campuses became the breeding grounds for Marxist Socialism, and open rebellion against the absolutes of biblical Christianity.

Here are just a few points taken from the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. Do you think any of these describe what is taking place in the United States today?

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rentsof land to public purposes.

2. A heavy progressiveor graduated income tax.

3. Confiscationof the property of all emigrants and rebels. (Those who oppose the state)

4. Centralization of creditin the hands of the State, by means of a national bankwith State capital and an exclusive monopoly.

5. Centralization of the means of communicationand transportin the hands of the State.

6. Extension of factoriesand instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivationof waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

7. Equal liabilityof all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.

8. Combination of agriculture with manufacturingindustries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of the population over the country.

9. Free education for all children in public schools. Combination of education with industrial production.

What Shall We Do?

Wake up the sleepers.(Romans 13:11-12 NKJV) And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. {12} The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Toughen up! (Jeremiah 12:5 NIV) “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

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Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in America, and their “champion,” President Obama, is increasing the taxpayer dollars funneled to them.

The fact is that 51% of their “clinic income” comes from abortion.

We are going to hear a lot about “reproductive choice,” the “women’s rights,” and how wonderful Planned Parenthood is in the media this week.

The fact of the matter is that 51 percent of Planned Parenthood’s yearly clinic income – their only self-sustaining revenue source – comes from abortion, 329,445 abortions.

40 percent of all reported abortions committed in the United States occur at a Planned Parenthood clinic, making it by far the largest abortion provider in America.

This is a fairly staggering statistic hidden behind the media’s willful blindness to the truth behind the leader of the abortion industry.

Planned Parenthood claims to provide 11 million “services” in America each year. From this overly inflated number, they calculate that the 329,445 abortions they committed in their last reported year amounts to only 3 percent of their services.

Planned Parenthood’s 3 percent figure has been bought, hook, line and sinker, by the mainstream media as proof positive that Planned Parenthood isn’t really about abortion. But if you take even a cursory look at Planned Parenthood’s own data, that claim begins to unravel and quickly.

Digging a little deeper, Planned Parenthood claims that all those “services” it provides only go to 3 million women. So by it’s own admission, 11 percent of the women that visit a Planned Parenthood clinic in any given year obtain an abortion there.

What about some of the other “services” Planned Parenthood claims it provides? Prenatal services (those services provided to women who choose to keep their baby) account for a measly 0.28 percent off all services provided. And 841 adoption referrals given by Planned Parenthood in their last reported year amount to a whopping 0.0076 percent of services rendered.

Again these services are deceptive. In 2009, Planned Parenthood reported performing 40,489 prenatal services for 7,021 prenatal clients, an average of roughly 6 services per prenatal client. Assuming an average of 6 prenatal services per client, Planned Parenthood’s current listing of 31,098 prenatal “services” could be for just over 5,000 prenatal clients. That is 5,000 prenatal clients versus well over 300,000 abortions.

Planned Parenthood’s claim that only 3 percent of its business is abortion is no different than if a car dealership claimed that it wasn’t really in the business of selling cars because the number of new cars sales was only a fraction of its total services provided (financing cars, repairing cars, providing manufacture recommended maintenance for cars, cleaning car, and so forth). Of course no one would believe such an outrageous claim. Sure, a car dealership does all of those things, but its purpose is to sell cars.

The abortion industry is no different. The abortion industry, led by Planned Parenthood, is about committing abortion. Sure they provide some other services, but when your only self-sustaining revenue source is one thing and you are responsible for 40 percent of that one thing in the entire nation, that is what you are about. Planned Parenthood is about abortion.

According to Planned Parenthood’s own apologist, Media Matters, its “total revenue from abortion services was approximately $164,154,000.” Accordingly, over 51 percent of Planned Parenthood’s clinic income comes from abortion.

In addition to its $320.1 million in clinic income and $223.8 million in private donations, Planned Parenthood receives $487.4 million dollars a year from the taxpayer. And that number is drastically increasing. Taxpayer funding for the abortion giant has more than doubled in the last decade.

This increase is in part due to the fact that it is now reporting the numbers a little more honestly. For the first time, Planned Parenthood is reporting revenue from Medicaid as revenue from the government, taxpayers. Its latest report states, “In past reports, payments from Medicaid managed care plans have appeared as ‘health center income’ rather than ‘government grants and contracts’ ….”

So now that Planned Parenthood has graciously decided to stop underreporting the money it takes from taxpayers, we can see more fully, how much Planned Parenthood relies on the Government. Over 46 percent of its $1 billion total annual revenue comes from the government – from our tax dollars.

According to Planned Parenthood, of this taxpayer funding, about $70 million dollars come through the federal government’s Title X funding – providing free birth control (including to minors).

Title X was a panic bipartisan measure passed by Congress in 1970 in the middle of the “population bomb” scare, when many lawmakers believed that the only way to prevent the United States from running out of food by the year 2000 was to distribute free contraceptives as widely as possible to women and girls ages 15-44 in “low-income families.”

Title X officially expired in September 1985, but Congress has continued to appropriate money for it in ever-increasing amounts. Regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services require the contraception distribution to be strictly confidential (i.e., no notification of the parents of minor recipients), and define a “family” so as to include “unemancipated minors” desiring contraceptives without their parents’ finding out; according to the HHS regulations, they “must be considered on the basis of their own resources.”

Federal funding for Planned Parenthood under Title X has steadily increased over the years. Since 2006, when it was slightly under $60 million, it has increased by at least 15 percent.

Now, here is where merely glancing at financial statements fails to tell the real story. Since 1997, “emergency contraception has been made available under Title X as a matter of course.” “Emergency contraception” is pro-abortion code for abortion inducing drugs or abortion pills like Plan B, Ella, and others.

This is the most hidden statistic of the abortion industry. Abortions caused by abortion pills are not reported on any medical chart or to any government agency. If the abortion industry could have a “dirty little secret,” this would be it.

We do know, however, how many abortion pills Planned Parenthood dispensed. Planned Parenthood’s last report notes that it gave out 1,461,816 “emergency contraception kits,” i.e. abortion pills, in a year, much of which would have been paid for through Title X, taxpayer funds.

Of course, you would never know this by listening to or reading the mainstream media. The media elites spend their time defending Planned Parenthood as a sacred institution whose purpose is to help women – a organization that can do no harm.

Lost in reporting all the “good” that Planned Parenthood does are the injuries and even death to women caused by abortion. Earlier this month a woman was reportedly injured during an abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic. The month before, a 24-year-old woman died from a reportedly “botched” abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic after that clinic ignored instructions to call 911.

Planned Parenthood has also repeatedly been caught on tape condoning and assisting in sex selection abortions, choosing to abort a baby based on the sex of the unborn child. Despite their public statements, in actuality, Planned Parenthood’s policy as described by the Huffington Post, another Planned Parenthood apologist, is that “no Planned Parenthood clinic will deny a woman an abortion based on her reasons for wanting one.”

Planned Parenthood clinics have repeatedly been caught helping underage minors hide abortions from parents and even encouraging dishonest reporting to prevent being required to notify authorities of potential statutory rape.

Planned Parenthood affiliates all over the nation are under fire for allegedly defrauding taxpayers of hundreds of millions of dollars. Former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life advocate, Abby Johnson, details what she contends was Planned Parenthood openly committing fraud, telling fellow directors that they “wouldn’t get caught.” At the ACLJ, we represent two other former Planned Parenthood employees in two of the largest lawsuits against the abortion industry in the country. One lawsuit in one of Planned Parenthood’s largest affiliates in Texas alleges that that over a ten-year period Planned Parenthood billed federal and state governments for services that were never rendered, services that were known to be unnecessary, and even abortion related services in violation of the law. Similarly, in California, we represent the Chief Financial Officer of a Planned Parenthood affiliate in a suit alleging over $100 million dollars in fraudulent overbilling of federal and state governments.

Yet, despite their record, Planned Parenthood’s reputation remains untarnished in the media. Through the media’s PR campaigns on Planned Parenthood’s behalf, this information does not see the light of day. In fact, nearly 60% of young adults don’t even know that Planned Parenthood commits abortions at all.

If any other non-profit that received hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars were caught doing half the things that Planned Parenthood is caught doing they would be run out of business.

The elite media, however, either ignore it or come to Planned Parenthood’s defense. News story after news story repeat the same intentionally deceptive mantra that “Abortions make up less than 3% of the services Planned Parenthood provides.” When the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation decided that it could more wisely allocate $700,000 a year than by giving it to Planned Parenthood, the media exploded. The media said Komen’s actions were “shocking” and gave the cancer foundation a “black eye.” The media’s PR campaign on the abortion giant’s behalf successfully resulted in Komen restoring the funds.

There has been no bigger apologist for Planned Parenthood than President Obama. In fact, Planned Parenthood recently called him their “champion.” President Obama has made it crystal clear where he stands, stating, “On this fundamental issue [abortion], I will not yield and Planned Parenthood will not yield.”

He has backed up his rhetoric with pro-abortion policy after pro-abortion policy. From overturning the Mexico City Policy to allow taxpayer funding for abortions overseas, to pro-abortion ObamaCare, to his HHS mandate forcing religious employers to violate their faith by paying for abortion pill coverage. Each of these policies have benefited Planned Parenthood’s truly worldwide abortion mission.

Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in America, taking in nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayer money as it systematically ends the lives of nearly 330,000 babies a year. It is engaged in a war on children – a war on unborn children and a war for hearts and minds (and tax dollars) of America’s children. The billion-dollar a year organization doesn’t need half of its revenue from taxpayers and it doesn’t need to be in our schools, but it is.

It is time for the American people to learn the disturbing truth about Planned Parenthood’s abortion business, and it time for the media to start reporting the truth instead of recklessly protecting the abortion giant.

Join our letter to the media; tell them to report the truth about abortion. Sign on today.

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Leadership in the kingdom of God’s is not the pursuit of fame, power, glory or the praise of man. This may be the concept of leadership from a secular view point, but it is far from what we are to seek after as people of God. (Luke 22:24-27 NLT) And they began to argue among themselves as to who would be the greatest in the coming Kingdom. {25} Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men order their people around, and yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ {26} But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. {27} Normally the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here! For I am your servant.

Leadership from a godly perspective equals service and sacrifice. Whoever believes that being the leader is about the glory of leadership has never really led. A leader in God’s Kingdom is not about ascending to some height of glory, but rather taking on responsibilities that others will never know.(John 15:13 NKJV) “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Pastor Gerald Brooks “Leadership is about giving your heart. As a leader you have the privilege of spending time that others don’t have to spend. You get to make sacrifices that others are not required to make. You’re required to lead when others get to leave, and you must give your best when you’re not at your best.”

(2 Corinthians 12:12-15 NLT) When I was with you, I certainly gave you every proof that I am truly an apostle, sent to you by God himself. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you. {13} The only thing I didn’t do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong! {14} Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have; I want you. And anyway, little children don’t pay for their parents’ food. It’s the other way around; parents supply food for their children. {15} I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.

The greater the authority the greater the responsibility. John Maxwell defines leadership as influence, or the ability to gain followers. The greater your influence as a leader the more people will follow you, the greater number of people who follow you the greater potential for good and harm.

If you do not learn to love others and serve them before you become a leader, you will abuse and hurt people if you ever do become a leader. (James 3:1 NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness.

(Luke 12:48 NLT) “But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.

In order to be a good leader we must first learn to become a good follower. While scripture gives us many tremendous examples of godly leaders, and principles of leadership, there is very little teaching that tells us how to be a great leader. What we do find is a great amount of teaching on how to be a follower and a servant.How can we ever expect people to follow us if we are not first willing to follow? (Luke 16:12 NKJV) “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

If you can learn to be a great follower, you are on your way to becoming a great leader. (Luke 9:23-24 NLT) Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. {24} If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.

(John 12:26 NLT) All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them.

It is not wrong to aspire to become a leader; we just have to make sure we grow into leadership. This is why Scripture lays out some specific requirements for those who would aspire to lead God’s people. Leaders must first be proven before they are given authority to oversee God’s people. The apostle Paul by the Spirit of God laid out some of the qualifications for those who were being considered as leaders in his letter to Timothy.

Leadership requirements for undersheperds, or pastors.(1 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT) It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility. {2} For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach. {3} He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money. {4} He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him. {5} For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

You will notice that the pastor must be a person of proven character. Someone who is above reproach. Leaders must be people of integrity, because if you lack integrity it will become evident as your leadership responsibilities increase. Most leaders who fall have failed to deal with integrity issues in their lives as they progressed.

Leadership requirements for elders in the church. (1 Timothy 3:6-7 NLT) An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. {7} Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil’s trap and be disgraced.

An elder represents those who are spiritually mature. Every pastor is and elder, but not every elder is a pastor. However those who are placed in a position where younger believers are placed in their care need to be held to a higher standard as well. We cannot place a young believer in such a position because they may fall prey to the trap of pride. You will notice that an elder must maintain a good reputation among those within their community. It brings great reproach upon God’s kingdom when those in places of authority lack integrity within their community.

The requirement for deacons (helpers in the church). (1 Timothy 3:8-13 NLT) In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. {9} They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience. {10} Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability. If they do well, then they may serve as deacons. {11} In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. {12} A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. {13} Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

A deacon is a person who oversees task ministries. In the book of Acts, chapter 6 we see the first appointment of deacons after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. These were deacons, or people who were appointed to manage a food distribution ministry to widows. Acts 6:1-7 (NLT) But as the believersrapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” 5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. 7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

You will notice that while this ministry may not have the appearance of something we might typically consider very spiritual, these men were chosen based upon their integrity, and wisdom and not necessarily their ability.

We want to be sure that when we become leaders in an area of ministry, that we are godly examples to those around us, as the natural outcome of leadership is reproduction. The aim of discipleship from a Hebrew perspective is not simply to know what your master knows, but to be like your master. Our goal as believers is to become like Christ, not merely to know about Him.

In like manner we want to reproduce ourselves in others. We need to be able to pass onto other believers what we know, and what we do as well. (2 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT) Timothy, my dear son, be strong with the special favor God gives you in Christ Jesus. {2} You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.

(1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT) You should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.

People who follow you will become like you, be it good or bad. “We teach what we know, we produce what we are.” John Maxwell

(1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV) Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.